According to an article from the New York Times, SBC (a regional Bell derivative serving mostly the western states) continues to hold out against subpoenas from the RIAA. With the Federal District Court in Washington expected to hear oral arguments today in Verizon's continuing effort to get the subpoenas struck down, interest has once again turned to the fate of these attempts to find "pirates."

For their part, SBC is determined not to fall in line without a fight. Whereby most major ISPs have been content to let Verizon's legal challenge lead the way in determining the legality and constitutionality of the law and the RIAA application thereof, SBC has filed suit against the RIAA to stop the practice.

Since a preliminary decision earlier this year that resulted in a judges order for Verizon to turn over personally identifying information about subscribers that the RIAA claims were violating the DMCA, Verizon and other ISPs have been routinely complying with the subpoenas. Whereas this is understandable for Verizon (as they are under explicit court order), the others have mainly chose not to fight due to financial or other grounds.

SBC, on the other hand, has taken the offensive. According to their General Counsel James D. Ellis, "[SBC is] going to challenge every single one of these that they file until we are told that our position is wrong as a matter of law."

Good show!